Scott County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Scott County, Illinois ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Scott County was named for Scott County, KY. The county was organized in 1839 and its seat is Winchester. Scott County is located in the west-central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Scott County Courthouse
35 E Market St
Winchester, IL 62694
Phone: 217-742-5217
Scott County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Scott County are kept, see the Scott County Courthouse page.
Scott County, Illinois Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1860 | 1839 | 1877 | 1839 | 1839 | 1839 | 1810 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[4]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Scott County was established on February 16, 1839 from a portion of Morgan County. Its territory was first part of Illinois County, created by Virginia in 1783. In 1787 this sparsely settled county became part of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River. In 1790 present day Scott became part of St. Clair County which was one of the initial counties located in Indiana Territory when it was formed in 1800. In 1809, that county became part of the new Illinois Territory and Scott county's territory moved through several county organizations as the population of Illinois began to expand rapidly: first Madison in 1812; next Greene in 1821; and as the last step before becoming its own county it became part of Morgan in 1823. This very rural county retains much the look it had during its early days.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 7,914 | — |
| 1860 | 9,069 | 14.6% |
| 1870 | 10,530 | 16.1% |
| 1880 | 10,741 | 2.0% |
| 1890 | 10,304 | −4.1% |
| 1900 | 10,455 | 1.5% |
| 1910 | 10,067 | −3.7% |
| 1920 | 9,489 | −5.7% |
| 1930 | 8,539 | −10.0% |
| 1940 | 8,176 | −4.3% |
| 1950 | 7,245 | −11.4% |
| 1960 | 6,377 | −12.0% |
| 1970 | 6,096 | −4.4% |
| 1980 | 6,142 | 0.8% |
| 1990 | 5,644 | −8.1% |
| 2000 | 5,537 | −1.9% |
| 2010 | 5,355 | −3.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1840 Pensioners
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. FS Catalog 973 X2pc 1840; FS Catalog 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Illinois, Scott County on page 188.
- 1850 Census
- Index: 1850 Census of Scott County, IL at Rootsweb; index
- 1850 Mortality Schedule
- 1850 Scott County Mortality Schedule at Rootsweb; alphabetical
- 1860 Census
- 1860 Census of Scott County, IL at Rootsweb; index
- 1860 Mortality Schedule
- 1860 Scott County Mortality Schedule at Rootsweb; alphabetical
- 1870 Census
- 1870 Census of Scott County, IL Rootsweb; index
- 1870 Mortality Schedule
- 1870 Scott County IL Mortality Schedule at Rootsweb; alphabetical
- 1880 Mortality Schedule
- 1880 Scott County IL Mortality Schedule at Rootsweb; alphabetical
Church Records[edit | edit source]
The earliest Christian congregations in Scott County were likely Camp Meetings organized by Methodist preachers who came to the area in the early 1820s. The Baptists were also in the county by about 1825. Other denominations didn't appear to be established till later: the Catholics in 1860, Episcopalians in the 1870s, followed by like the Free Methodists and German Lutherans. [5]
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
A few resources referring to Scott County churches and their records have been found on the internet.
- See Linkpendium. For references to various church related sources.
- WorldCat has Scott County church directories for 196? and 1979
- Records for 1891 to 1900 of the Presbyterian Church in Winchester are available through the FamilySearch Library FS Library film 468338 item 2.
Major denomination in Scott County, Illinois include Evangelical Denominations, Catholic Church, American Baptist Churches, Assemblies of God, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Evangelical Lutheran Church, United Methodist Church.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1842-1954 Court Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans
- African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records
- Illinois African-American Resource Guide by the Illinois State Archives describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
- African-American Resources for Illinois
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
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Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk . See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1820-Onward Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
- 1839-1874 Deed Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1839-1901 Deeds 1839 to 1897; index 1888 to 1901
- 1843-1953 Assessor's Books at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Illinois Federal Township Plats, by County
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales at the Illinois State Archives. Online index to the records of Public land sales held by the State Archives. The indexes are by purchasers name and by legal description. This is a statewide collection with nearly 550,000 land sales from 54740 square miles. Also at Ancestry ($).
- Sheldon, Theodore. Land registration in Illinois. Chicago: Callaghan Co., 1901. Explains the laws regarding land and the land systems used in Illinois. Includes court cases involving land issues. Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- 1788-1940 Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War 1861–1865
- 1865-1935 Civil War Military Discharge Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Civil War Discharge Papers at RootsWeb; alphabetical
Regiments. Civil War service men from Scott County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Scott County.
- - 14th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
- - 27th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- - 28th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
- - 61st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
- - 91st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
- - 129th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D, F, H, and I.
- - 137th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E.
Spanish-American War 1898
- Volunteer Soldiers of '98 and '99 at Rootsweb. History, biographical sketches.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1998 Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1859-1906 Naturalization Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-Current Illinois, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and EventsIndex, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Newspaper and Other Articles of Genealogical Interest to Scott County Researchers at Rootsweb; incomplete
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1831-Onward Illinois Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Public Records[edit | edit source]
- 1839-1982 Public Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1819-1988 Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
- 1845-1957 School Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
- 1843-1970 Tax Records at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Marriages were first recorded in Scott County in 1839--when the county was organized. The early marriage records may or may not contain the marriage application (which would contain parent names).Birth records were first recorded in Scott County in 1860; deaths were first recorded in 1877. It was not until 1916 that the recording of births and deaths became mandatory. These vital records are available through the Scott County Clerk/Recorder, 35 East Market St., Winchester, IL 62694.Phone: 217-742-3178.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1903 Birth Records and Index at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Early Births Registered in Scott County, Illinois (1850s-1860s) at Rootsweb
- Births During 1900: Scott County, Illinois at Rootsweb
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1805-1985 Illinois, Church Marriages, 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1810-1940 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1839-1945 Marriage Records and Index at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Scott County, Illinois Marriages Groom Index 1900-1915 at Rootsweb
- Scott County, Illinois Marriages Bride Index 1900-1915 at Rootsweb
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1877-1913 Death Records and Index at IRAD-UIS - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1916–1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1916-1972 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1972 - index
- Scott County, Illinois Deaths 1878-1903 at Rootsweb
- Scott County Patient Deaths at the Illinois State Hospital (1910s-1930s) at Rootsweb
- WWII Deaths from Scott County, Illinois at Rootsweb
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Scott County. For state-wide facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
IRAD Depository (UIS)
LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield, IL 62703-5407
Phone: 217-206-6520
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Alton Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Jacksonville Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Springfield Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Athens Municipal Library - an affiliate library
- Chatham Area Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Scott County. For state-wide library facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.
Bluffs Public Library
110 North Bluff Street
Bluffs, IL 62621
Phone: 217-754-3804
Winchester Public Library
215 North Main Street
Winchester, IL 62694
Phone: 217-742-3150
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Scott County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Illinois Societies.
Scott County Historical Society
PO Box 85
Winchester, IL 62694-0085
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Scott ILGenWeb
- Scott County IL Genealogy
- Scott County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Scott County, Illinois" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_County,_Illinois, accessed 04/19/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Scott County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 194-197.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Scott County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_County,_Illinois, accessed 14 March 2020.
- ↑ Scott county bicentennial book, 1976, ([S.l.] : Bluffs Times : Winchester Times, 1976) p. 28-33.